‘Cold’ start to Tatkal service

OUR CORRESPONDENT

The tatkal window to get certificates under the Right to Public Service Act opened to 26 people on Wednesday in spite of cold and sketchy information.

The government launched the tatkal system for applicants in urgent need of caste, income and residential certificates. These would be issued within two days of filing the application at no extra cost. The relevant documents to be provided are different from the regular scheme.

The applicants turned up at the block office near East Gandhi Maidan on the first day, but lack of publicity or information about the relevant documents left much to be desired. The Telegraph, which spoke to few of the applicants, did not see any poster or hoarding publicising the start of the scheme. There are no separate counters too.

Reshma Kumari, a resident of Anisabad, said: “I came to apply for income and caste certificates under the tatkal scheme but it was quite difficult. I was not aware of the documents that had to be attached with the application. I was in the queue for around 30 minutes just for that. It would have been much easier if the information was on display.”

Apart from Reshma, three more people came for caste certificates, while 21 people applied for residential certificates.

Kankerbagh resident Rakesh Paswan was miffed at the quality of service. He found people at the counter confused about the documents needed.

Applicants taking up the tatkal scheme have to fill the form and submit self-attested photocopies of documents on a checklist. In case they do not have the relevant documents, they can obtain the certificates by submitting enquiry reports issued by panchayat sevak.

Lack of publicity about the new service also led people to apply under the regular system and then discover the tatkal scheme.

Sanjay Kumar Rajak, a resident of Rajendra Nagar, said: “I had heard about the tatkal scheme but was not aware that it would be implemented from Wednesday. I learnt about it after applying for a caste certificate in the regular system. Now, I will get the document in 10 days.”

On lack of groundwork for the service, block development officer Ranjan Lal Nigam said: “It was the first day of the tatkal service and we could not arrange to put up information. The circle officer has also fallen ill. I assure the people that hoardings about the service would be put up soon. The next time applicants visit the block office, they will have all information about the tatkal service. We are also working on opening a separate counter.”